Froshkonig
by ButterflyMiko
Summary: Keiko is looking for a savior to help her kingdom. She seeks out Sensui, the shadow man, for his help and he points her to Yusuke. After an altercation with Yusuke, he convinces her that she can be her own hero and she realizes that he might need saving.
1. Down In Orleans

A country steeped in bayou and bogs, magic and mystery, this was Orleans. This country was ruled over by King Uther and Queen Ava, and someday, their daughter Keiko.

Uther had gained his position as king by leading his country in war and winning the right to wear the Firefly Ruby. His leadership had made him king, and Keiko wanted to be just like him.

However, it was not to be; as Uther died when she was ten years old.

Keiko tied back her ebony hair in a kerchief and put an apron over her princess dress. Getting flour all over her chocolate colored skin, she began making gumbo and beignets for the kingdom. They had all come out to say farewell to her father, the hero.

After the greatest funeral the country of Orleans had ever seen, years began to pass, and Keiko's family fell into debt.

Finally they put on a sale of royal objects for anyone who could pay.

By now Keiko had grown into a young woman, favoring green as her color, matching her eyes, and her long hair often swept up on top of her head. Today she just wore a checkered green sundress.

A noblewoman named Miyuki came in. Keiko was wary of her.

Miyuki was the daughter of Lady Mukuro, and she was a powerful woman.

"Hello princess. You sure do favor your father, don't you?" Miyuki said. "I wonder what he would think of you selling this?"

Miyuki held up the Firefly Ruby.

"That...is not for sale." Keiko snatched it away. "My father received it because of his heroism, instead of winning power by using nefarious means."

"Well," Miyuki said snidely. "Pity his heroism won't be able to save you and your mother from bankruptcy."


	2. Almost There

Don't let her get to you, sweetheart," Ava comforted. "Your father would be proud of us."

"Proud?!" Keiko said. "Proud that we have lost everything? Or proud that we are failing our kingdom?"

"Keiko. What our kingdom needs is for a hero to rise up and save them." Ava hinted.

"Yes!" Keiko clapped her hands together. "A hero!"

Keiko ran to the map. "We can find us a hero!"

"I only meant—" Ava began.

"Who was that wise man that Father used to consult?" Keiko asked.

"Shadow Man." Ava said. "Your father never consulted Sensui. I did. When I was pregnant with you I had complications. I was afraid. Sensui gave me a potion and it worked. I had to give him leave to operate his deals in Orleans. It caused great heartache. You must stay away from that man!"

"Mother, I will go into it with a wise mind." Keiko said. "I have the benefit of your experience to learn from."

Keiko put on her shawl.

"Don't worry Mama, I'm Almost There."


	3. Friends on the Other Side

Keiko put on common clothing and a shawl over her head, but she couldn't bear to take off the Firefly Ruby. She hid it in her bodice and went into the town.

Wandering through the set up tents by vendors, she enjoyed the smells and decided she would have to learn to cook shrimp the way they were making it.

While she was examining the way they cooked, the chef glared at her.

"Are you trying to steal my secrets?" Chef demanded. "Get out of here girl!"

"Are you mad!" The owner stormed over, staring at the Firefly Ruby. "That's Princess Keiko! Her father is the reason why our bellies are full every night!"

Keiko's cheeks flushed.

"Princess!" Chef said. "You must be able to do something about the king's soldiers that sweep through here every night! They scare away the customers! Please if you help I'll tell you all my secrets!"

"I can't—" Keiko said.

"But your the princess!" Owner said. "Surely you can do something! What would your father say?!"

A man covered in shadow looked up from his table. "Stop it. You shame yourselves, demanding such things of the princess. You need to learn to solve your own problems."

"You can't just—" Chef started.

"Fool! That's the Shadow Man, the man with Seven Shadows, Shinobu Sensui!" Owner said, pulling the Chef into the kitchen and away from Sensui and Keiko.

"They exaggerate." Sensui stood. "I hear you search for me, Princess."

Sensui was a tall, broad shouldered, long-limbed man with tan skin, an ovoid jewel in the middle of his forehead and a rather long neck. He normally kept his hair slicked back, with a bang arching slightly over his forehead. He wore a casual long-sleeved gray shirt, dark gray jeans with a matching black belt on his waist and a matching shoes making his outfit into a shades of gray. Though the unusual length of his limbs gave the illusion of a slender build, his torso was quite muscular. His torso, shoulders and arms were all covered with a great deal of heavy scarring, which Sensui inflicted upon himself as part of his combat training.

After taking in his strange appearance, Keiko managed to remember what she needed.

Keiko sat at his table where he was shuffling tarot cards.

"Care for a reading?" Sensui asked.

"I need something else." Keiko said. "I need you to find me a Savior for our kingdom."

"You haven't found one yourself?" Sensui raised an eyebrow. "Very well."

He lit red incense that blossomed into red dusty smoke. He blew on it and it formed the shape of a crow.

"You will find the prince who will be your hero; when you follow the Crimson Crow."

"Oh thank you Shadow Man!" Keiko said.

"You can thank my Friends on the Other Side."

The dust blew after her as she left.

"You got what you wanted...but you lost what you had."

The dust formed the shape of the Firefly Ruby, and Sensui smiled.


	4. Crimson Crow

Keiko wandered through the marketplace, but there was no sign of any red bird, let alone a crimson crow. She had just decided to to give up when her stomach growled.

Keiko looked up at the tavern—the Crimson Crow.

Her hero was here!

Keiko went inside and ordered some frogs legs, fried up crispy.

A couple of ruffians came over and one put his arm around her. "Hey there princess, why not give us those earrings so we can pay the kings taxes you aren't fighting against?"

"Mother is going to take back Orleans! Be brave men! You mustn't be so brutal! I'm fighting too. I'm going to find us a hero!" Keiko said.

"A hero she says." Ruffian grabbed her ear. "Pay us!"

A sword was at his neck. "Release the Princess."

"Prince Yusuke!" The Ruffians backed up. "Of course. Many apologies."

Yusuke sat down in front of Keiko and frowned at the frogs legs she was eating, ordering a sandwich.

After they finished, Keiko invited him to the castle.

"If you're going to save us, you must see the kingdom!" Keiko said excitedly.

Yusuke said nothing, still frowning, but nodded.

They went up on the balcony.

"Isn't it beautiful. Orleans is like a thousand stars twinkling in the night!" Keiko grinned. "Don't you think so?"

"You speak so beautifully of it. Who inspired you?" Yusuke said.

"My Daddy." Keiko said. "He fought for Orleans and became its hero and Prince. He was given this..." She showed him the necklace. "...the Firefly Ruby. For his heroism."

"That's amazing." Yusuke said.

"But now all's gone to hell in a handbasket." Keiko said. "We are facing ruin and selling all we have. Soon we will be beggars and I won't be a princess, sharing my father's proud name anymore."

"You will always be the princess he fought for." Yusuke said. "I won't let anything happen to Orleans or to you and your mother."

Yusuke kissed her hand and bid her goodnight and left.

"The Firefly Ruby...Daddy..." Keiko reached for it.

It was gone.

"YUSUKE!"


	5. Dreams Dashed

Yusuke bids her goodnight with the promise of seeing her again, but as he is leaving, Keiko sees the Firefly Ruby is missing and realizes he stole it. She swiftly stops him and demands an explanation, to which he confesses he was following Sensui's orders because the man would turn him into a frog.

Keiko stopped him in the courtyard with her hand held out.

"Give it back, Yusuke." Keiko said. "Now."

Yusuke sighed and handed the Firefly Ruby to her.

"I had to do it." Yusuke said. "I had no choice."

"You always have a choice." Keiko said. "Heroes don't do this kind of thing!"

"What do you know of heroes?!" Yusuke said. "If you really wanted to save the kingdom, you'd pick yourself up and do it yourself!"

Keiko paused. "Why did you take it?"

"I was following Sensui's orders." Yusuke said. "He was going to turn me into a frog. I'm not a hero. But you aren't acting like one either. And when your a princess you have to be a hero—a hero to your people."

"Then maybe you should have—"

"No thanks." Yusuke said. "I need to be the Prince my people deserve. Even if that makes me a frog."


	6. Hero

Keiko went into the house.

"Where have you been Keiko?" Ava said.

"Oh mother I've been so selfish." Keiko said.

She relayed to her mother the story of the Frog Prince Yusuke and his suffering.

"I shouldn't have sent you looking for a savior." Ava said. "You are the savior these people need, my Firefly."

Ava pinned the Firefly Ruby to her daughters dress.

"You are every inch the hero your father was." Ava said. "He would be so proud of you."

"You really think so?" Keiko said.

"I know so." Ava said. "Now go be the savior to your people. Be their princess."

"I will! I'm gonna start by saving Yusuke!"


	7. Freedom

"Sensui!" Keiko said.

"What is it?" Sensui said. "You have been searching for me again, Princess?"

"Yes I have." Keiko said. "I want you to return Yusuke to his human form. In return I will give you this."

She handed him the Firefly Ruby.

"I see, girl." Sensui said, and then took out a needle. "And what's to stop me from keeping you both as my prisoners?"

He stabbed the needle into a voodoo doll.

Keiko screamed.

Yusuke, in frog form, leapt forward and knocked away the voodoo doll, taking off of it the hair that bound it to Keiko.

Keiko grabbed him and ran off.

"We'll find freedom together." She promised. "I'm going to be the Savior my kingdom needs, just like you taught me. And I'll start by thanking you!"

She gave him a big kiss, and there was a flash of magical green light.


End file.
